An airbed is one of those things that it seems everyone owns – at least one, anyway. Usually they’re pulled out for last-minute guests who need a place to sleep in your home and aren’t picky. Recently, though, air mattresses have improved in big ways. You can buy an airbed that inflates to the height of a normal bed, or one with flocking to reduce that squeaky rubber sound when you shift on the bed. Some include pillows, or built-in pumps. Often, though, these are pricey.

In the case of the Intex Pillow Rest Classic Airbed, though, you’re looking at an airbed with upgrades, but you won’t have to pay exorbitant prices for those extras. With this air mattress, you get a built-in pillow, the soft flocking all over the top, and a built-in electric pump – all at a bargain price. It’s a great sleeping solution for when you go camping (as long as you have access to an outlet), for last-minute guests, or for sleepovers for your children.

You may even have guests fighting over who gets to sleep on the air mattress rather than the couch or a futon. At 11 pounds, this is easy to grab and toss into the back of your car or truck and take along with you on a trip. It’s about the same size as a full-size mattress, which means you can fit two average-sized adults on it. Plus, it has a 600-pound weight capacity, so it’s a strong air mattress. How do you know it’s right for you, though? Start by reading this review – I just bought it and gave it a couple of test drives so I can tell you exactly what to expect of this Intex airbed.

Not All Air Mattresses are Created Equally

Air mattresses meant for indoor use are not suitable for camping. How can you tell the difference between an indoor and outdoor airbed? The thickness of the vinyl and the flocking are both clues.

When you’re sleeping outdoors, it’s important to have an air mattress like this one from Intex that is made with extra-thick vinyl to prevent punctures. The great outdoors has all sorts of debris laying on the ground, such as twigs, sharp rocks, and other bits. Even if you do choose this airbed, it would be a good idea to lay a tarp down first for some extra protection.

The flocking you find on many airbeds offers a layer of softness, which means you can go without sheets, if you’d like. This makes an air mattress with flocking a good choice for indoors or out. Flocking has other advantages, as well. It provides a waterproof surface, which helps protect your bed. And if you choose to use this airbed with sheets, it helps reduce the noise of cloth on vinyl – you know, that squeaky, rubbery sound.

A full-size airbed can fit two adults, but it’s going to be cozy, which is another bonus, especially if you’re camping in a cooler climate. Plus, this airbed is going to fit more easily in tents or in the back of a truck compared to a queen-sized mattress.

First Impressions

I just got the Intex Pillow Rest Classic Airbed in the mail last week, and I’ve had a chance to try it out for a few nights. When I first opened it, though, I made note of the things I liked and the things I didn’t. The first thing I noticed is that this airbed doesn’t weigh a ton. It’s about the equivalent of a small bag of flour, or a large cat. It weighs 11 pounds, so it’s easy to pick up.

Set up was easy enough. I just unfolded and unrolled it and then plugged in the electric pump. Literally one minute later, this airbed was inflated. I couldn’t believe how fast it was! The pillow isn’t really a pillow, it’s more like a raised bump of airbed. It was a bit too hard for me, and uncomfortable when I laid down and tried it out. I’ll just make sure to use my own pillows, though.

The flocked top is soft, but I can’t imagine sleeping on it without sheets. I suppose that’s just a personal preference. So, I threw some of my full-size guest sheets on it, and while they did fit, it was a little difficult to get it to stretch over that pillow bump. I switched them out for queen-sized sheets and these fit with a bit of fabric to spare, but they may shift a little at night.

Deflating this airbed was easy, and it only took about three to four minutes, thanks to the help of the electric pump. Whether I use this for camping or for overnight guests, I’m confident this mattress will work well and be easy and quick to set up and take down. Also, this airbed from Intex comes with a carrying case, so you can store it easily.

Features & Benefits

For such an affordable air mattress, the Intex Pillow Rest Classic Airbed includes so many extras that make it easier for you to set it up and take it down, and use when you’re visiting Mother Nature or your in-laws. Here’s a closer look at all of its features.

Pros

Affordable

600-lb. capacity

Waterproof top

Built-in pillow

Strong seams

Built-in electric pump

Almost no odor

Inflates super fast

Q

Cons

Full sheets are a bit tight

Pillow is uncomfortable

Construction

Like most airbeds made today, this Intex air mattress is constructed of vinyl. It’s thick, so there’s less chance of punctures, but you should still try to make sure you set this bed up on a flat, debris-free surface.

The pillow included is built into the airbed itself, so it’s more like the bumps that run the length of the air mattress, but a little bigger. Unfortunately, it’s quite hard when the bed is full inflated, but it softens a bit when air is let out – but then it’s of little use.

I found the seams of this airbed to be strong, thick, and effective. The stitching seems to be quality work, so you should have no issues with the construction of this airbed.

Comfort

Although this is an air mattress, I found it was very comfortable to sleep on. It inflated to just the right amount of firmness for me, but it wasn’t too firm. If you like a softer bed, you could always let out a little air. Keep in mind that air mattresses take a bit of time to stretch out, so you may notice a bit of air seeping out with the first few uses.

As I said, I prefer sleeping on an airbed with sheets, but the flocking is soft enough that you could go without. It definitely helps to make sheets fit more snugly and it’s quieter as the sheets move on the airbed than if it had no flocking.

Maintenance, Care & Warranty

Any air mattress can be easily spot cleaned with a bit of soap and water. This Intex Pillow Rest Classic Airbed is no different. Caring for your air mattress has a few different requirements, depending on how you’re using it. Indoors and for long use, you may need to add a little more air in the mattress each day. Outdoors and for short periods of time, you just need to keep it away from sharp objects and you probably shouldn’t jump on it.

Intex doesn’t offer a warranty for its airbeds, which makes sense on such inexpensive items. Your biggest risk is getting a defective item, but depending on where you bought the air mattress, you may be able to return it. Be sure to check the store’s policy when you buy your air mattress.

Consumer Feedback

You could look at the ratings to make a snap judgment of a product, but you have to read the reviews to understand why there are so many great reviews or terrible ones. It’s hard to assess an airbed if you’ve never owned one before because you may not realize that air mattresses lose air sometimes. Below you’ll read a cross-section of comments from others who have bought and used this mattress. My opinion isn’t enough on its own!

Durability

There are two major complaints about this air mattress: air leakage and the lack of warranty. While many more people had no issues with their airbeds, a significant percentage of people did have issues with deflation after only a few hours or overnight. Without a warranty, you can’t return the mattress for money back or for a new model, so that can be frustrating.

Comfort

When it comes to comfort, those who bought this airbed said it is extremely comfortable. The firmness was just right for most users, and no one complained about it being too firm. If it is, you can simply let out a little air. The flocking itself is soft, and it adds a little more cushion, some users said. The inflation time is about 60 seconds for everyone, so it gets good ratings for inflation. Deflating was also quick for most users, averaging about two to four minutes.

Odor

Off-gassing happens with a lot of plastic products, so it’s something you should come to expect. The harsh odor can be off-putting, but for some if the scent is very strong, it can cause headaches and other discomfort. This Intex airbed has less of an odor than others I’ve tested, but not everyone agrees. Some people said the smell was very strong, but it was gone within a day or so.

Value

Air mattresses can be cheap or expensive. This one is definitely on the lower-priced side of the spectrum, but it offers amenities you can’t find for the same price in most similarly-priced airbeds. The electric pump alone offers almost the entirety of the value of this air mattress – and it’s built-in, so you don’t even have to lug around a separate pump.

Customer Service

As already mentioned, there’s no warranty offered for the Intex Pillow Rest Classic Airbed, so contacting customer service typically proves futile. The company will not repair, replace, or even send you parts to fix a defective air mattress. On top of that, customers said that Intex representatives won’t even offer help with how to fix common issues, such as repairing a hole or a busted seam.

Conclusion

Any air mattress that includes a built-in electric pump gets a big thumbs-up from me. Not having to blow it up by mouth or with a manual pump is a huge benefit. The Intex Pillow Rest Classic Airbed is just firm enough to offer good support and is comfortable to sleep on, whether I’m on it alone or sharing it with someone else. Although the pillow is a bit too firm for me and uncomfortable, it’s not a feature that gets in the way. I simply add my own pillows to the air mattress and I’m good.

Out in the great wilderness, this air mattress is strong enough to weather the elements, and it’s thick enough that I didn’t get any punctures. My full-size sheets stretch just enough to fit on my airbed, but queen-sized sheets were a better fit, even though there was some extra fabric leftover.

Unlike other air mattresses I’ve purchased and used, the Intex Pillow Rest Classic Airbed had little to no odor when I pulled it out of its box. Even if you notice a bit of a plastic smell, it should go away in a day or two.

Overall, this airbed has way more positives than negatives. From the built-in electric pump to the flocking on the top and the firmness of the airbed, I’d gladly buy this air mattress again. It’s affordable enough, I might buy two. The biggest downfall of this air mattress is that it doesn’t have a warranty. Defective products happen, though, so just check the store’s return policy when you purchase this airbed.

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